


And Opposite Reaction

by AMidnightDreary



Series: Newton [3]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Aftercare, Alternate Universe - BDSM, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, BAMF Tony Stark, Begging, Blindfolds, Blow Jobs, Bottom Loki (Marvel), Butt Plugs, Character Development, Developing Relationship, Dirty Talk, Dom Tony Stark, Fluff and Smut, Hair-pulling, Ignored Safeword, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Jealous Loki (Marvel), Light Bondage, Loki (Marvel) Feels, Loki (Marvel) Gets a Hug, Loki (Marvel) Has Issues, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Love Confessions, M/M, Minor Violence, Paddling, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Possessive Behavior, Praise Kink, Protective Tony Stark, Rimming, Safe Sane and Consensual, Snark, Sub Loki (Marvel), Sweet Tony Stark, The latter three aren't between Loki and Tony though, Top Tony Stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-12
Updated: 2019-10-12
Packaged: 2020-12-13 21:44:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21004643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AMidnightDreary/pseuds/AMidnightDreary
Summary: Growing closer.





	And Opposite Reaction

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rabentochter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rabentochter/gifts).

> Why is this so long.
> 
> Gifting this to you Sesil because a), I'm a fan of consistency, and b), you're awesome.❤

“I like this one,” Loki says. “And this one.”

“That one matches your eyes,” Anthony replies, nodding.

Loki looks at his lover, whose face would be perfectly innocent if his mouth wasn't twitching a bit. Loki frowns at him. “Are you making fun of me?”

Anthony can't stifle his laugh anymore. Loki scowls, and immediately Anthony runs a soothing hand down his back. “Sorry, honey, just - we've been looking at these for twenty minutes now.”

“Well, you can't blame me,” Loki says, flippant. “I can imagine better activities than staring at ties, too, but you promised to buy me a dozen for the one you ruined, and I only have nine so far.”

“_I _ didn't ruin it! It was -”

“My idea to wear it in the shower?”

Anthony blinks at him. “Okay, yes, that's fair,” he says then, sighing. "I really have to watch what I'm saying to you when I'm horny, huh?"

Loki rolls his eyes, because, well. _ Duh. _

“That one does match your eyes, though. Take it.”

Loki glances at the regarding piece. He does like the color, a rich emerald green, but - “I already have a few like that.”

“Yup. This one won't go into your closet, though.”

“Oh?”

“Hmm.” Anthony stretches to kiss Loki’s cheek, his voice dropping lower when he says, “I’ll keep it near my bed for you.”

Loki raises a brow. “A piece of fabric can hardly hold me.”

“You’ll let it if I tell you to, though,” Anthony says, “and I know you’ll enjoy wearing it for me.”

Loki can’t deny that, so he just turns back to the ties and ignores the spark of arousal that flared up at Anthony’s words. 

Anthony chuckles, knowing that he has won, and pats Loki’s back. “You choose the last two, I’ll go and pay.”

Loki lets him go and chooses two other ties, and ten minutes later they leave the store. In reaction to Anthony's frowning at the bags, Loki sends their purchases - not just the ties, also two whole suits and several dress shirts, all for him - to the penthouse via magic.

"That's really handy," Anthony says, smiling, and takes Loki’s hand. “It’s almost noon. You up for lunch? Or do you want to go back to the tower?”

“Lunch would be lovely,” Loki says, not because he is actually hungry, but because this is _ nice. _

It’s surprising, really. When Anthony asked him this morning if he wanted to go shopping, Loki wasn’t that keen. Being Anthony’s lover - ah, well, there is no point in using euphemisms. Being Anthony’s _ submissive _ in the privacy of the penthouse is one thing, but in public? That would be unpleasant enough if they were just ordinary people, but they are not. Everybody in New York knows Tony Stark, and Loki Laufeyson isn’t an unfamiliar face, either. People seeing them together - not just as friends, but as what they are now - would set chaos loose, and it wouldn’t be the sort of chaos Loki likes. 

Thankfully, Anthony noticed that Loki wasn’t entirely comfortable with the idea, and promised that he would “tone it down as long as we’re in public,” which wasn’t actually a detailed promise, but Loki accepted it with a nod, anyway. Anthony also let him put a tiny spell on them both, and now nobody looks twice at them when they pass them on the streets. 

The salesclerk earlier did recognize them, but only because she talked to and looked at them long enough. Anthony said something about discretion and wanting to get rid of a small fortune, and with his charming smile and persuading eyes the poor girl - a sub, Loki guessed, even though he couldn’t see a collar - didn’t stand a chance. Loki followed the exchange with narrowed eyes and allowed himself to take Anthony’s hand, which had quickly gotten him his human’s attention back.

And that is exactly what Loki likes - the attention. Anthony is practically spoiling him, and that’s definitely a nice feeling.

“Lunch, then,” Anthony says now, thumb stroking over the back of Loki’s hand. “Let’s make another stop on the way, though.”

Loki easily agrees and lets Anthony lead the way to wherever he wants to go. Loki looks around every now and then. He feels like people are watching them, but of course that’s not true; he is just being paranoid. If anyone is watching him, it’s Anthony, and that is completely fine. 

It’s been a little more than two months now. Loki returns to the tower almost every evening - sometimes he needs to stay in Norway overnight, sometimes Anthony is away on business - and stays for a few days whenever he can. Anthony still seems happy to see him, every single time. They spend their days and nights together much like they always have, with the difference that Loki is on his knees rather often now, and that there are kisses and cuddles and, well, certain _ games _, sometimes. Loki can tell that Anthony is going slow, but he isn’t about to push. Only one of them actually knows what he is doing and it isn’t Loki, so he is willing to let Anthony set the pace and take the lead.

He doubts that decision when Anthony stops in front of a certain store.

“Are you serious?” Loki asks, and Anthony turns to him with raised brows and a chuckle.

“Yeah, sure. What’s wrong?”

Loki swallows down a “Nothing” just in time. The last time he lied like that, Anthony didn’t let him come for two whole days. Two days Anthony spent doing little else than teasing Loki until he nearly lost his mind. Loki does not feel like repeating the experience anytime soon, mostly because a part of him enjoyed it. He looks at the things that are displayed in the shop window, frowning. 

“Well,” he finally says. “In Asgard…” He doesn’t need to finish the sentence.

“Right.” Anthony squeezes his hand, then pulls him to the entrance. “This isn’t Asgard, and here a sex shop is like, the most normal thing in the world, so don’t be a prude.”

Loki very nearly splutters. “I’m not a prude!”

“Given all your titles, you really shouldn’t be,” Anthony replies, his tone teasing.

Loki huffs and lets go of Anthony’s hand, which Anthony just comments with a raised brow before he holds the door open for Loki. Appeased by that (but just a little), Loki steps inside and warily looks around. Anthony follows and puts his hand on the small of Loki's back.

“Come, let’s look around. Speak up if something catches your attention, yeah?”

Loki hums to show that he heard, and then follows Anthony around the shop in lack of anything else to do. Compared to some other shops like this Loki has seen, this one is rather small, and a little less… intimidating. He wonders if Anthony chose it for this very reason.

“What do we even need here?” He whispers to Anthony, who only now stopped in front of a shelf.

“Well, I doubt that you have any toys or tools,” Anthony replies in an exaggerated whisper, then laughs when Loki glares at him. He continues in a normal tone, “I threw away everything I had a few years ago, because… dunno, I just thought I wouldn’t need it anymore. I was also a bit drunk.” He shrugs. “Anyway, it’s been working out really well, right? So I figured we could experiment a bit more. Unless you're not okay with that?” 

“It's fine,” Loki says, and it is. They talked about this a few days ago (in hindsight, Loki should have known that Anthony was planning this), and he trusts Anthony; he won't use anything Loki already said no to. And right now, Loki is glad that he already said no to some things. A few items he can see here look almost like certain tools he has seen in the Void and the cells of Asgard, and he doesn't really want to get _ intimate _ with them again.

“You okay, sweetheart?”

Loki focuses on Anthony again and nods. He still hasn't managed to break Anthony of the habit of using these ridiculous endearments, but at least it doesn't get any more demeaning than 'sweetheart' or 'honey'. 'Darling', sometimes. And, truth be told, Loki doesn't _ not _ like it. These words feel a little bit like praise.

Anthony bends down and takes something from the shelf. Loki’s eyes go a little round when he realizes it’s some sort of _ paddle _, thin and not very broad, made of leather. Its purpose is rather self-explanatory, Loki thinks, and swallows.

“What do you think?” Anthony looks up and promptly grins when he sees Loki’s face. “You’d like to try something like this?”

Loki clears his throat. “I am not… opposed.”

Anthony snorts and nudges Loki’s side with the paddle. “Alright, Prancer. Get me one of the baskets from the entrance, hm?”

Loki frowns at him, but after an expectantly raised brow, he turns and goes to get a basket. There are a few other people in the store, but none of them spares him a glance. There is another couple looking at many things made of leather, but the others seem to be browsing alone.

Loki returns to Anthony, who seems to have chosen a paddle by now. It’s also black leather, but a little more sturdy than the first. Anthony shows it to Loki, smiling, and Loki wordlessly holds out the basket. Anthony laughs and drops the paddle into it, then goes a bit further down the aisle. Realizing that he is supposed to carry the basket, Loki sighs and follows after him.

“What about these?” Anthony asks, carding his fingers through the tails of a whip. 

Loki thinks about the list he filled out in the beginning of this. He remembers Anthony’s too, of course, and that there was a five next to ‘whipping (giving)’, which means that this is probably one of Anthony’s favorites. Loki likes the look in Anthony’s eyes.

“Yes,” he says, and Anthony smiles.

He crouches and examines the whips, riffling through them and discarding a lot before he finally seems to find one he likes. He stands up again and hands it to Loki, who hesitantly touches the leather tails. They are soft, but he doesn’t doubt that they sting. When he shifts into a more human form, this could really, _ really _ hurt. Loki should be disgusted, probably, and offended - every other Aesir would be. But, well, he is not an Aesir, and what _ he _ feels is… anticipation. Mixed with not just a bit of shame, certainly; he is probably blushing again.

“What are you thinking about?” Anthony asks, smirking.

Loki pins him with a glare. “You know,” he says, and puts the whip into the basket.

Anthony laughs and gives him a kiss, his hand in Loki’s hair to pull him down to him. Loki returns the kiss for a moment, then pulls away, remembering that they are still in public. He tries not to shuffle on his feet.

“I would like to go back to the tower,” he says.

“We’re not done here,” Anthony replies, not bothering to hide his grin. He ignores Loki’s pouting.

They make their way through the store, stopping here and there to examine or touch or discuss. It’s Loki who stops in front of a shelf that displays the collars. There are cuffs, too, and chains, hel, even leashes. Loki stares at it all, for as long as Anthony lets him, which isn’t very long.

“Loki? Come on.”

Loki yanks his eyes away and closes up to Anthony. He doesn’t say anything, but he smiles at Loki and takes his hand. Loki isn’t entirely sure if this was a rejection or not, so he tries not to think about it.

They add rope of various lengths to the things in their basket, then Anthony chooses a handful of _ toys, _most of which make Loki blush despite himself. The basket isn’t full when they are done, but Anthony doesn’t seem to want anything else at the moment, and Loki knows that the things they have chosen are already worth a small fortune; Anthony doesn’t seem to be able to settle for anything less than the very best. Anthony pays, and after they left the shop, Loki sends this bag to the penthouse as well.

“I think I don’t feel like having lunch anymore,” He says then, trying to sound as casual as possible.

Anthony grins. “I do.”

Loki narrows his eyes at him. “Now you are just being a tease.”

“I’m happy you noticed. How about pizza?”

Loki sighs.

-

There is a couple sitting at the table next to them. A man and a woman; the latter is wearing a collar and sitting on the floor next to her partner’s chair. There are pillows on the ground for that very purpose (Loki has seen the same in many other public places) and nobody seems to be particularly impressed by that. For humans, it’s just _ normal _ \- of course, there are subs sitting at tables, too. It’s all up to the respective dominant, Loki guesses.

He can’t tell if Anthony would like Loki to kneel at his feet, too; at least he doesn’t show it. Then again, they don’t do it all the time at the tower, either, and Anthony did promise to “tone it down”, after all. Either way, Loki knows he should be glad that he is sitting on a chair, and he is. But he also can’t help but be at least a little bit impressed by the sub at the other table - submitting like that, in public, can hardly be as easy as she makes it look. He finds himself staring a little bit too long, but thankfully Anthony doesn’t call him out on it.

About halfway through their meal, another couple on the other side of the room starts to fight. Loki and Anthony both look over to them, as do almost all people in the restaurant. There is a man speaking harshly to his companion, a woman who doesn’t even seem to dare to look at him anymore. She is saying something, though; Loki's ears are good enough that he can understand her. A waitress tries to step in and soothe the man, but he just tells her to leave them alone, and the waitress raises her hands and steps back again. A few seconds later, the man slaps his sub’s face, and she simply keeps kneeling on the floor next to him, trembling all over.

“What is she saying?”

Loki blinks and looks at Anthony, whose narrowed eyes are fixed on the young woman. When Loki doesn’t immediately answer, Anthony glances at him briefly before looking back to her.

“Loki, what is she saying? I can’t make it out.”

“Bicycle,” Loki replies slowly. “I don’t -”

Anthony puts down the slice of pizza he’s been nibbling on and stands up. “Wait here,” he says before he moves to cross the room.

Naturally, Loki stands up and follows him, which earns him a look he doesn’t quite know how to interpret. Anthony walks up to the still angry dom without any sign of hesitation, and the man stands up as soon as Anthony stops next to him. He’s young, barely twenty-five, and handsome. Loki recognizes the look in his eyes; it’s a look he has gotten a few times himself, from absolute strangers who thought they could order him around just because they wanted to.

“What’s going on here?” Anthony says, glancing past the man at the woman. More of a girl, really, she looks even younger than her dominant. “Are you okay?”

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business,” the man jumps in, his tone sharp. He stands up, and seems rather pleased when he notices that he has a few inches on Anthony. “Leave her alone.”

“I don’t think you’re in a position to tell me what I have to do,” Anthony counters, unimpressed. “What is your safeword, miss?”

The girl takes a quivering breath, and after a moment says, “Bicycle, sir.”

Her dom’s head snaps around to her, and just from that Loki can tell that the oaf is going to hit her again. “Don’t you dare call him -”

Anthony grabs him by the collar, and pushes him down so hard that both the girl and Loki flinch. The man ends up with his upper body pressed to the table, Anthony’s hand on his neck keeping him there.

“I’m sure you didn’t just try what I think you tried,” Anthony says to him. “She used her safeword, didn’t she? Your scene is over, and everybody here saw that it _ didn’t _ go well.” He looks at the girl. “Would you like him to stay?”

She rapidly shakes her head. “No - no, sir.”

The dom curses, but Anthony ignores him. “Did you hear her? Yes? It’d be better for you both if you just fucked off, I think. Don’t you agree?” He doesn’t get an answer, so he pushes the man down a bit harder. “I asked you a question.”

“Yes,” the other man says through clenched teeth.

“Good. So, I'll let you go now, you’ll leave this restaurant without any more drama, and more importantly you’ll leave this woman alone unless she calls you first. Got it?” 

Anthony waits for another confirmation, then he lets the dom stand up. He pushes him into the direction of the exit, and the man leaves with some more glares and curses. As soon as he’s gone, Anthony turns to the sub, who is still kneeling on the floor. The waitress from earlier is crouching next to her already.

“Hey,” Anthony says, smiling at her. He leans down and carefully touches her arm. “Here, do you want to stand up? Yes? Come on up, then.” 

He helps her get back on her feet, and she ends up sitting down on a chair. She’s crying now. Anthony crouches in front of her, and speaks to her in that tone of voice Loki knows very well by now. Eventually, she calms down a little. The waitress hands her a tissue, and for a while the girl just blows her nose and hiccups quietly.

“He’s such an asshole,” is the first proper sentence she says, with vigor. “I don’t - I don’t even know _ why _ I -” She blows her nose again. “He’s been tetchy all day, just because I didn’t want to -” She trails off, staring angrily at nothing in particular.

“It’s alright now, he's gone,” Anthony says. He is half leaning against, half sitting on the table by now. “I think you’re rid of him for now.”

“You really scared him off.” She manages a brittle grin. “Thanks, uh - Mr. Stark.”

Loki wrinkles his nose, but Anthony just smiles. “No problem. You’ll be fine now?”

“I’ll stay with her,” the waitress offers, smiling. “It’s time for my break, anyway. If you want?”

“Sure,” the sub says, waving with the tissue with a smile. “There's still pizza left. Though I’m not that hungry anymore.”

“Eat a bit, you’ll feel better.” Anthony stands up. “And order a nice drink or something. I’ll pay your bill.”

Her eyes go round. “You don't have to -”

“I want to,” Anthony says. 

He winks at her, and she thanks him, and Loki turns on his heels and walks back to their own table since Anthony obviously doesn't need him at his side. A few seconds later Anthony follows him.

Loki has lost his appetite. Anthony doesn't seem that interested in the last two slices of his pizza, either. "Sorry about that," Anthony says. "I don't usually, uh - go around playing the big bad dom like that, but -"

"But you are certainly good at it, aren't you?"

Anthony frowns. He is looking at Loki, his expression serious in a way that makes Loki clench his teeth. 

“What exactly is bothering you?” Anthony asks, his voice even. He doesn't sound angry, not yet.

“Why should anything be bothering me?”

“If you're jealous -”

“I am not _ jealous _ ,” Loki snaps. “I simply do not _ get _ it. It was none of your business, and _ she _ -”

“Yeah, we're not doing this here,” Anthony interrupts him, and stands up again. “Wait here.” He gives Loki a look that is almost a glare. “And actually _ wait here _, this time.”

Loki stares after him. Anthony goes and talks to the nearest waiter, probably wanting to pay. Loki looks away. A part of him wants to get up and leave, but that feels… not right. Anthony gave him an order, after all, a direct and entirely clear order, without any loopholes to be found. Loki already disobeyed once, and he could disobey again, but - he doesn't _ want _ to. He craves these orders, any order Anthony might give him, because apparently, that is how a sub _ works. _ Sometimes - often; right now -, Loki still despises himself for that, but he can't help it.

Anthony comes back to their table and pats on the wood. “Come, let's go.”

Scowling, Loki stands up and follows Anthony out of the restaurant. Anthony stays silent, and Loki notices quickly that they are on their way back to the tower. 

“So, are you going to punish me now?” Loki asks, unable to keep from scoffing. “For what, disagreeing with you?”

Anthony glances at him, but doesn't say anything. That doesn't do anything to soothe Loki's arising anger.

“You would like me to be like her, I assume? Kneeling at your feet for everyone to see, allowing you to _ humiliate _ me, not even daring to speak my mind because you might hit me for it?”

Loki stares at Anthony as they walk, expecting an answer, and doesn't even get a _ glance _ this time. 

“Well,” he continues, “I am awfully sorry to disappoint, but I am not _ that _ pathetic, and I will not -”

Anthony stops walking all of a sudden and turns, nearly making Loki stumble in surprise. Anthony is already in his personal space, looking up at Loki and at the sime _ down _ at him, somehow, however he manages that.

“_I _ am not the one making a scene in public,” Anthony says and yes, now he _ is _ angry. “We’re going to do this at home, Loki, not here. So -”

Loki has to resist the urge to take a step back, instead he twists his lips into a derisive grin. “So I am _ meant _ to follow on your heels and await my punishment _ quietly _, yes? Would you like to go back and buy one of those leashes, perhaps? Maybe -” 

“It’s _ enough_, Loki!” Anthony snaps, voice rising, and Loki can’t help but flinch. “One more word and I’ll make you kneel _ right here _ , in front of all these people. I could make you _ beg _ me to let you kneel for me. We both know you would do it in the end, no matter how pathetic you think it is. If I had as little respect for you as _ he _ has for _ her _, there wouldn’t be a single fucking thing you could do to stop me.”

Loki wants to protest, but Anthony’s glare makes him bite down on the words he wanted to spit at his dom.

“You don’t get to judge her,” Anthony continues, his voice even colder now. “I won’t have you sneering at other subs just because you feel like you’re somehow better than them. You’re the same, Loki. Exactly the same, and I won’t have you disrespecting _ yourself _ like that. Especially not just because you’re jealous. Is that clear?”

Loki feels small, suddenly. He forces himself to keep glaring at Anthony, who doesn’t say anything for a short while. Eventually, Anthony takes a breath and nods.

“Fine. Teleport to the penthouse, take off your clothes, and wait for me in my bedroom. _ Now, _ Loki.”

Loki grits his teeth and disappears.

-

Half an hour later, Loki is sitting at the edge of the bed, still dressed. His eyes keep flickering over to the bags he placed next to the bed earlier, one of them entailing clothes, the other… well, Loki doubts that Anthony will use any of that today. Dum-E is probably already making a mess in the kitchen or anywhere else - _ gods, please not the bathroom _ \- for Loki to clean up later. Wonderful, truly. 

Scoffing, Loki leans down to finally take off his shoes. He puts them aside neatly and starts undoing his cuffs, but before he can take off his jacket, he can hear the soft _ ping _ of the elevator, reaching his ears even through several walls. The sound makes Loki look up and stare at the door. It doesn’t take long until it opens, and Loki realizes too late that taking his clothes off with magic might have been a good idea.

Anthony steps into the bedroom and just looks at Loki for a moment, slowly raising his brow. He’s dripping wet for some reason; it must have started raining on his way back to the tower. Loki isn’t sure what to do, but he knows that he does _ not _ want to clean anything right now (or ever again), so an apology is probably a good start.

“Anthony, I -”

“Shh,” Anthony interrupts, closing the door behind him. “Don’t. This is a ‘silent unless spoken to’ thing for you now, got it? And stop glaring, for fuck’s sake, I’m not going to make you clean anything.”

Loki blinks at him. His gaze follows Anthony as he walks past Loki to his closet, which is less a closet than a whole room, separated from the bedroom by a door. Loki can watch Anthony take off his wet clothes.

“Bring me a towel, please,” Anthony says, quiet but loud enough for Loki to hear.

Loki huffs, but stands up and makes his way to the adjoining bathroom to procure a towel. He goes to offer it to Anthony, who accepts it after just a moment of hesitation. He dries his hair, not looking at Loki as he does so.

“Didn’t I tell you to strip?”

Loki bites down on a snappish remark and goes back to the bed. He undresses, leaving his clothes in a folded pile next to the bed, and sits down again to wait. Anthony joins him not much later, barefoot, dressed in jeans and a ridiculous shirt. He crouches in front of the shopping bags and rifles through their purchase, finally pulling out a tie. Well, not _ a _ tie - _ the _ tie; the green one Anthony chose himself.

Loki narrows his eyes when Anthony comes over to him, the tie in hand. Only when he puts it over Loki’s eyes, Loki realizes its purpose, and his hands come up and grab Anthony’s wrists all by themselves.

“Loki?” Anthony prompts, letting the tie sink again to meet Loki’s eyes. “Color?”

“Yellow,” Loki says, his breaths already shallow. “I - I don’t know what you will do.”

Anthony’s one hand lets go of the tie and moves to Loki’s chin instead, stopping him from looking away. “I’ll blindfold you,” Anthony says calmly, “if you’re alright with that. I’ll punish you for your behaviour, and I’ll stay right here with you until it’s dealt with. Then I’ll make you tea and let you choose the movie.”

Loki lets out a breath. That is… manageable. He thinks. Letting go of Anthony’s wrist, Loki nods.

Anthony doesn’t say anything, but he strokes Loki’s hair and gets it out of his face before putting the tie over his eyes again. Loki lets Anthony lace the ends at the back of his head, this time, holding his breath in reaction to the loss of sight. 

“Good,” Anthony says, surprisingly gentle. Loki expected him to be harsher. “Very good. Don't move. I will go away for just a moment, but I’ll stay in the room.”

Loki nods, and a second later Anthony’s hands are gone. Loki keeps his own trembling hands in his lap, thinking that it’s odd that they haven’t done this before. He remembers a few points on the list he filled out, captioned ‘sensory deprivation’, and he didn’t mark any of them as limits. Anthony had, though; he didn’t like blindfolds. Maybe he isn’t all too fond of blindfolding others, either.

Loki hears Anthony’s steps, and then the rustling of the bags again. He swallows, thinking that his earlier thoughts were apparently wrong, then. He isn’t sure how Anthony always manages to do the exact opposite of what Loki expects, but it’s fascinating and annoying in equal measures. 

There is the sound of a getting opened and closed again; Anthony’s nightstand. Loki frowns, but forced himself to stay where he is and wait. Anthony comes closer again and sits down on Loki’s left side, the mattress sagging a little under his weight. Loki flinches when he feels Anthony’s warm hand on his back, surprised, but Anthony shushes him. The hand wanders up to Loki’s neck.

“Over my lap,” Anthony says, and Loki is already turning toward him to obey when he realizes what is going to happen.

A spanking, then. He can deal with that, but - why like _ this_? 

“I’m not your _ child_,” he hisses. “You can’t put me over your lap like -”

The grip of Anthony’s hand tightens. “First of all, gross,” he deadpans. “Second, you’ll see that I can and will do exactly that. And I won’t tell you again.”

Loki scoffs, but the pressure of Anthony’s hands on his neck eventually makes him move. He crawls over Anthony’s lap and lies down, his whole body tense. It’s awkward, what with him being taller than Anthony is and his feet standing on the floor in a weird angle, but Anthony doesn’t seem to mind, so Loki presses his lips together and stays silent. He lets Anthony move and tug at him until he’s satisfied with Loki’s position. Loki’s hands end up on his own back, held together by Anthony’s grip.

“Comfortable?” Anthony asks, running his other hand over Loki’s back. 

Loki has rarely felt as vulnerable during their games as he does now, and he hates that he can’t bring himself to hate it. He doesn’t reply.

“Loki,” Anthony says, expectant. “Can you stay like this for a while?”

Beneath the tie, Loki rolls his eyes. It’s entirely useless, of course, and doesn’t give him any satisfaction. “Yes,” he answers, his tone as reluctant as it could possibly be.

“Call me ‘sir’,” Anthony orders, and Loki snaps his head around to glare at him.

Hel, he hates the blindfold. With passion.

He takes a breath, frustrated, and turns his head forward again. “No.”

“No?” Anthony repeats. He has the gall to sound amused. “I see. Tell me what you’re being punished for.”

“I spoke my mind,” Loki says, voice dripping with disdain.

“We both know that that’s _ not _ what you’re being punished for.” Still amused. _ Damn him. _ “Were you jealous? And don’t you dare lie to me again.”

Loki has to take a few seconds to breathe and get himself under control, and eventually grits out, “Yes.”

“Why?”

Loki squirms on Anthony’s lap. “Just get on with it, would you?”

“I will _ get on _ with it as soon as you’re good and ready,” Anthony says, unimpressed. “And that's not for you to decide.”

Loki lets out a frustrated sound. 

“Do you need to use your safeword?”

“_No.” _

“Then answer my question.”

“You _ liked _ her,” Loki spits out. “You took care of her, as if -” He stops, nearly biting his tongue, and then just repeats, “You _ liked _ her.”

“I didn’t.” Anthony still sounds so calm, that shouldn’t be _ allowed. _ “I don’t. I don’t even know her, Loki, and I certainly don’t want her. I was just being kind.”

“There were _ others _ who could have -”

“Yes, and they all sat there and watched,” Anthony interrupted, his tone getting a little harder at the edges now. “Because that’s the bad side of how humans work, and I can’t stand it, so I stepped in. I’m sorry if it made you feel like you had a reason to be jealous, that’s not what I wanted.” 

Loki stays quiet. He doesn’t know what to say.

“But that’s not what you’re being punished for, either,” Anthony says, softer again. “Thanks for telling me the truth, though. It’d be good if I don’t have to put you over my lap for that in the future. Understood?”

“Yes,” Loki says, sourly.

Anthony’s hand comes to rest on Loki’s lower back. “So, you lied. What else?”

Loki tries to recall what Anthony said earlier. “I was disrespectful, perhaps?”

“Yes. And?”

Loki stays silent long enough, apparently, because eventually Anthony answers his question himself.

“You didn’t stay at the table. You tried to provocate me. You didn’t take off your clothes. You don’t address me like I told you to, and you’re being even brattier than usual. Does any of that ring a bell?”

“You can’t expect me to stay behind when you go around picking fights,” Loki counters, sharply. His position is getting uncomfortable, but he doesn’t move.

“So that’s the only point you’re protesting against?” Anthony asks. “Okay. Loki, when I give you an order, I expect you to obey. Even when we’re in public. I didn’t want you anywhere near that man, and -”

“Oh, so you were je-”

“Shut _ up_, Loki.” Anthony’s tone is harsh enough that Loki winces. “You can nod or shake your head, but I want you silent from now on. Clear?”

Loki only barely resists the urge to stand up and put an end to this. He _ could_, Anthony wouldn’t be able to stop him, but - but the thing is, what Anthony said earlier was _ true. _ If he was a little more similar to that awful dom, Anthony could have made Loki kneel right there on the street. Loki wouldn’t have used his magic or his strength, because of the very same reason why he doesn’t use them now, either. 

Even though he is trying to keep it, his anger is already fading. 

He nods, and Anthony strokes his back. Tries to soothe him.

“So,” he says, calmer again. “No, I wasn’t jealous. And I know that you can protect yourself, too. But like I said, that’s the bad side of it all, and I didn’t want you to be confronted with it like _ that_, not when we’ve been making so much progress. Okay? Do you understand that?”

Loki nods again.

“Good. Can we start, then?”

The discussion took longer than Anthony planned, Loki thinks. He isn’t sure if that satisfied him or not. Probably not. He nods.

“Fifteen blows, I think. Acceptable?”

What?

Loki needs a few seconds to understand. Fifteen? He expected more; Anthony gave him more the _ very first time _ he punished him. Loki shifts a little, frowning beneath the tie. He nods, because he can hardly do anything else. The only thing he wants right now is to leave this position and get the damned blindfold off, and he’ll be allowed to do both when they are through with this.

“Shift,” Anthony says, stroking Loki’s bare ass. 

Loki does as he’s told and holds still, preparing himself for the first strike. It comes, but it isn’t what he expected. It’s not Anthony’s hand, for one thing, and it hurts much more than just his palm would. Loki gasps at the surprising sting of it, and he needs a moment to understand what it is - _ the paddle_.

“Loki,” Anthony prompts. 

“One,” Loki gets out, and Anthony hits him again, on the same spot.

Loki keeps counting, and after five hits his breaths are already ragged. He’s also getting hard, and the knowledge that Anthony must be able to feel that against his thigh makes Loki cringe. He can’t help it, though, and Anthony’s leg is positioned _ just right _ for Loki to grind against. He doubts that that is a coincidence, but he isn’t able to think about that anymore, not when the burning pain mixes more and more with pleasure and so becomes one of the best things Loki has ever felt. He tries to keep count and manages, even though only barely, as Anthony hits his ass and thighs, the strength behind the blows increasing until -

Until Anthony stops.

“Fifteen,” Loki gasps, and only then realizes, _ fifteen. _

“Yes,” Anthony agrees and puts aside the paddle, apparently, because his bare hand is rubbing Loki’s burning backside now. It makes him moan. “You can stand up if you want.”

Loki whines. He’s panting, and Anthony cannot be _ serious_, can he? He can’t just stop when Loki is just starting to _ enjoy _ it. 

“Don’t you want to stand up?” Anthony asks, and there’s a knowing tone in his voice that would make Loki suspicious if he wasn’t too damned aroused to care.

“Anthony,” he manages, squirming, trying to push his ass up against Anthony’s hand. “You _ can’t _ -”

“Yes? I can’t what?” Anthony digs his nails into the irritated skin of Loki’s thighs, making him cry out. “Stop? Don’t you _ want _ me to stop, Loki?”

Loki keens, frustrated. “_ No_, I - I want -”

“Yes? Tell me, sweetheart. Do you want more?”

Anthony takes his hand away, and Loki tries to look over his shoulder and see where it _ went _ , but the tie still covers his eyes and he can’t see _ anything_. His hands are still on his back, trembling, holding onto each other, and his cock is so hard it aches.

“Do you want more, Loki?” Anthony asks, expectant but entirely unsurprised. “Do you need me to hit you again?”

Desperation makes Loki’s eyes sting, and for the first time he is thankful for the blindfold. “Yes,” he admits, his voice shaking. 

Anthony’s right leg presses up against Loki’s crotch, the rough fabric of the jeans rubbing against Loki’s cock. He tries to stifle a moan, his hips moving on their own account, searching for friction.

“Look at you,” Anthony murmurs above him. “Desperate, aren’t you? Funny, how quickly I can make you go from bratty to _ this. _”

“Stop - stop _ teasing_, I can’t -”

Anthony slaps Loki’s ass with his bare hand, hard, then rubs the irritated skin. “Oh, you definitely can. You _ love it_. You love it so much that you want more even though your punishment is over, don’t you?”

Humiliation makes Loki’s blood burn. He presses his lips together, his eyes firmly closed beneath the tie, hips still grinding down on Anthony’s leg - slowly, as if he’s scared that Anthony decides he has to stop. He _ is _ scared of that; he doesn’t want to stop, the last thing he wants is to stop, he just wants -

“Anthony,” he says again, and it’s bordering on pleading but he doesn’t even care anymore.

“Tell me what you want,” Anthony demands, even though he _ knows_. 

“I want - “ Loki starts, breath hitching, “I want _ more _, I want you to hit me again, I -” He cuts himself off, doesn’t know what to say anymore, and Anthony gives a mildly interested hum.

“Well, _ I _want to hear you beg,” he says, and Loki breaks.

“Please! _ Please, _I want -”

Anthony’s hand is in his hair, suddenly, pulling him up as far as possible. Loki’s feet fumble for leverage and he doesn’t even try to keep from moaning. He still can’t see anything, of course he can’t; it sends a brief flash of panic through him, but he lets Anthony do as he pleases nonetheless. Loki would melt into it all if he could.

“Call me ‘sir’,” Anthony says once more, his mouth right next to Loki’s ear.

“Sir,” Loki gasps, “_please_, sir, don’t stop -”

And Anthony lets go of his hair, lets him drop down again, and then he is slapping Loki again. With the paddle coming down to his ass again and again, Loki forgets how to breathe. The only things he knows how to do is whimper and gasp and moan and take whatever Anthony gives him, be it a hand in his hair or praise or taunts - he gets a bit of everything, and it’s far too much, it’s _ bliss_, it’s -

Anthony stops again and Loki whines again, too pliant and desperate to move. He needs to come so badly and is ready to start begging for that, too, but then Anthony’s suddenly slick fingers suddenly slide between his cheeks and then _ into _ him, first one, then two, fucking him with rougher movements than he is used to.

“Can you come like this?” Anthony asks; Loki can barely hear him over the sounds that pass his own lips, over the blood rushing in his ears. “Just from my fingers in your ass? It’s red all over, I’m sure it _ burns_.”

“Please,” is the only thing Loki manages, almost choking on the word. Only now he realizes that his hands aren’t on his back anymore, but clinging to whatever they can reach; he isn't sure if it’s Anthony’s leg or the edge of the bed. “_Please _ -”

“Go on,” Anthony commands. “Keep rubbing against my leg. I want you to come just like this, do you hear me?”

Loki nods, panting, and not much later - his cock rubbing against Anthony’s leg, Anthony’s finger against his prostate, a hand pulling his hair again - Loki comes. Anthony’s fingers fuck him through it, his leg something warm and steady to grind on until Loki’s body first goes taut, then pliant.

He’s crying.

Anthony gathers him up into his arms, somehow, and tugs the tie off. He lets Loki hide his face in the crook of his neck and catch his breath, holds him for a small eternity. He whispers sweet words, too, and even though Loki only understands about half of them, he still gets the _ meaning _ of them, and that’s enough.

-

“This is nothing to be ashamed of,“ Anthony tells him later, after petting Loki until he could think again, after cleaning him up and putting balm on Loki’s ass and thighs, after making tea. He cups Loki’s face and tips his head up, his eyes earnest. “You’re a sub, and you’re perfect, okay? No more pretending to be anything else. You don't have to do that with me."

Loki believes him - tries to, anyway -, and Anthony lets him choose the movie like he promised.

-

The next morning, Loki has to leave for Norway again, and as always Anthony chooses Loki's clothes. By now, Loki is used to that, and while he could live without it, he likes the possessiveness that clings to Anthony's touch, to his eyes. It's thrilling, and makes Loki smile.

Well, at least it does usually.

Lifting his chin so Anthony can tie his tie, Loki glares at the ceiling. “I would rather stay here.”

“I'd prefer that, too,” Anthony says, smoothing the tie. 

Loki looks at him. He really wants to go back to bed. “I might not be able to come back the next days. There’ll be an early meeting in Drammen tomorrow, and another group starts their classes, so I will have to make sure they won't leave Oslo in shambles.”

Anthony doesn't hide his disappointment, but he nods and pulls Loki down for a brief kiss. “You'll call?” He says then, quietly.

“It could get late.”

Anthony shrugs. “I'll be waiting.”

Loki nods, smiling, and Anthony pulls him into a hug. He is unusually _ clingy _ this morning, Loki thinks. Not that he minds having Anthony's hands on him practically without pause, but it makes it even harder to leave him behind, even though it's just for a few days.

Loki still goes, though, and spends the whole day in Oslo. He and Thor have to keep about two dozen Aesir from destroying the city, which is exactly as much fun as it sounds like. It's only thanks to Loki's magic that they don't lose anyone in the crowds. He put a tiny tracking spell on every Aesir, and so he notices it every time somebody tries to sneak away. That works well until the entire group stops to stare at a woman walking her dogs.

“I will definitely not come with you next time,” Loki declares tiredly, watching as Elof asks the confused woman whether her Jack Russell Terrier is a battle dog or not.

“But look how adorable these dogs are,” Thor whispers back. Then his delight quickly turns into concern, “Hængur, no, you can’t ride it!”

Loki rolls his eyes and glances at his phone, smiling when he finds that Anthony has sent him a few texts in a row.

_ Do you think you can come back here tomorrow? _

_ Cause I kinda feel like trying to make sushi _

_ You like sushi right? _

_ It’ll be a mess and I promise I won’t be mad if you laugh at me _

Loki snorts and sends back. _ I like sushi, yes. I’m sure with JARVIS and my help you won’t make a mess. _

Anthony’s reply comes within seconds.

_ The mess is half the fun though! _

_ I’ll have J order what we need _

There is a string of emoji attached to the sentence, and Loki isn't sure if he should grin or roll his eyes. In the end he just keeps his face blank, mostly because he is aware that Thor is watching him. 

Eventually, they manage to yank even the last fascinated warrior away from the dogs, and not long after they reach the building in which the Aesir attend their _ classes. _ For every human, this would probably look ridiculous - a bunch of gods packed into a room with a whiteboard and group tables. If he had one, Odin would most likely be turning in his grave.

Surprisingly, Loki is enjoying himself.

It took a while, but by now the Aesir have accepted their fate. It helps that both Thor and Loki are right among them, learning along with them. (Well, Thor is learning. Loki mostly just pretends to be learning because that is what the Aesir need to see.) They all listen more or less attentively to a handful of subs who give them a, as Anthony put it, "a crash course in humanity and also taxes".

It's fascinating to watch. They tried this exactly once before Anthony's suggestion, and it was an absolute disaster. Now, though, with subs teaching the lessons, it goes much more… smoothly. Which is odd, really, and at the same time _ simple. _ The common Aesir doesn't like being ordered around by someone they deem _ lower _ than themselves. Loki thinks it is rather hilarious that they all sit here now and listen to human submissives, but it's just like he himself said when Anthony suggested this - the Aesir do not feel threatened, so they don't act up. In the beginning, Loki feared that a lack of respect would lead to a lack of attentiveness, but by now it seems that there isn't even a lack of respect to begin with. Loki isn't entirely sure why. Maybe it's because of the way the humans act - polite, quiet, confident -, maybe because of something completely different; Loki can't tell.

It is one giant paradoxon, and at the same time it makes sense in a way he can't explain. But it works, and that's about all that matters. They have yet to see if it will work in the long run, too, but if this leads to the Aesir being at least a _ tiny _ bit more suited and willing to live and work among humans, Loki will already be satisfied. That will be the first step on their way to independence, which is what Thor and Loki want to achieve.

Until then, Loki just has to make sure that the Aesir don't leave Norway in shambles.

-

They return to Asgard in the late evening, and Loki is very sure that, if he was forced to stay in the presence of any Aesir for a single minute more, somebody would end up being stabbed. He just doesn't do well with being around them all day. Thankfully, they all leave him alone; even Thor lets Loki ignore him as soon as they reach the small house they share.

Before retreating to his room, Loki gets himself something to eat. He is too tired to change his clothes per hand, so he uses magic for that. After carefully sitting down on the bed and finding that, yes, it still hurts, he quickly decides to lie down on his stomach. That works much better.

He summons his phone into his hand and calls Anthony with a few quick flicks of his thumb. While it dials, he already puts it on speaker and sets it aside. It doesn't take long until Anthony picks up.

“Hello there,” he says, so warmly that Loki has to smile.

“Hello,” he replies. “I told you it could get late.”

“It's not like I'd rather be sleeping. You sound tired, though.”

“That could be because I _ am _ tired,” Loki says, starting to poke around in his meal. He isn't entirely sure what it even is, but he found it in their fridge and it looks at least sort of edible. Also there was a sticky note that said 'NOT FOR YOU LOKI', which was basically an invitation.

“You can go to sleep,” Anthony says. “I won't stop you.”

Loki shakes his head, even though Anthony can't see it, and takes a first bite. Yes, it's edible. “I am still awake enough to hold a decent conversation.” He pauses, then adds, “Also I have been looking forward to this.”

“Yeah?” Anthony's smile is audible.

Loki hums. “I've had a rather long day.”

“How did it go?”

“Fine,” Loki says. “All in all.” He doesn't actually feel like talking about this right now. He spent the whole day thinking about New Asgard and her problems, and they get boring after a while. “What about you?”

“Hm?”

“How was your day?”

“Oh. Good, I guess. Bit boring. I was - ah, damn.”

“Is something wrong?”

“I'm fine, just -” Anthony sounds like he has something in his mouth; probably a screw or something. He often doesn't have enough hands while working. “Working.”

Smiling, Loki continues eating. “On what?”

“Eh,” Anthony says, voice still muffled. “Something I've never made before, so it's a bit of a -” He takes the, well, the _ whatever _ out of his mouth, apparently, because his next words are a lot easier to understand. “Er, struggle.”

Loki raises a brow. “That sounds mysterious.”

Anthony hums, but doesn't elaborate. “You're okay, then?” He asks instead. “After, you know. Yesterday?”

“Fine,” Loki repeats. “I'm fine. I…” He hesitates.

“Yes?”

“Well, I have been wondering about something,” Loki says, which is not what he wanted to say in the first place, but true nonetheless.

“Shoot.”

Loki hesitates. He doesn't want it sound like he is asking for permission, because while he _ is _ asking for permission, it doesn't have to obvious, does it? 

“I would like to continue calling you by your name,” he says in the end, very carefully. 

“Huh? What else would you call me?”

Loki narrows his eyes. “I don't know, _ sir. _ I certainly could come up with some ridiculous nicknames, since you seem to like them so much.”

A few seconds pass, then Anthony _ laughs. _ It causes Loki to pout and glare at the phone, of course, even though Anthony can't see that.

“I'm glad you find me amusing,” Loki says, and Anthony rather quickly gets himself under control again.

“Sorry,” Anthony says, "sorry, I shouldn't have laughed. But you - it's just nice, you know. That you still… keep that order in mind. It's cute."

“Call me _ cute _ again and I will hang up.”

“Right. Okay, look, of course you can keep calling me by my name. The 'sir' thing - I was proving a point yesterday, okay? I mean, I won't lie and say I didn't _ like _ it, and during scenes it would be nice now and then, but I don't want you to stop calling me - well, you know.”

“Anthony,” Loki fills in, relief making it easier to forgive his lover for laughing.

“Yeah.” Anthony sounds like he is smiling. “Nobody else calls me that, you know.”

And now Loki is smiling, too. “Oh?”

“Mh-hm. Just you.”

“Good,” Loki says, with enough smug satisfaction that Anthony laughs again.

“Anything else?” He asks then.

“Hm?”

“Anything else about yesterday you'd like to talk about?”

Loki briefly frowns at his phone. Anthony obviously knows him too well. “Perhaps,” Loki says, a little reluctantly.

“Yes…?” Anthony prompts, drawing the word out, and after a moment Loki sighs.

“I didn't shift back,” he admits, quietly. 

“Oh.” Anthony sounds baffled, but he recovers quickly. “Well, that’s fine.”

Loki nearly scoffs. “Is it? I’m not sure.”

“I totally forgot about that, to be honest,” Anthony says, contrite. “I shouldn’t have. Did you - if you’re waiting for permission to shift back, you don’t have to. I told you that, right? That you can always shift back when we’re done?”

“Yes. It’s not that.” Loki’s face heats up a little. He isn’t sure what’s worse, Anthony thinking that Loki was waiting for _ permission _or the true reason why he didn’t shift back. “I merely…”

“Oh,” Anthony says again, with a lot more understanding now. “Right, I get it. Still hurts, huh?”

Loki makes a face and tries very hard to not be embarrassed. He is _ not _ embarrassed this easily. (Not completely true, as recent developments threaten to show, but he just ignores that most of the time. Or tries to, anyway.) “It does,” he says, relieved when his voice is perfectly even.

“And you like it.” Anthony is definitely smirking now. “Don’t you?”

“I do,” Loki says, a little reluctantly. “Though I cannot for the life of me comprehend why.”

Anthony chuckles. “Oh, I can tell you that.”

“I’m not sure if I want to hear it,” Loki mutters, scowling at his dinner. “I’ve had a very long day, Elof and the others nearly drove me insane, and I do not -”

“You like it when I put you in your place,” Anthony interrupts - calmly, but in a tone that is already dropping lower. “And I think you like it when I put you over my lap, too. Maybe I should do that more often, hm?”

Loki pointedly ignores that question and tries to sound as snippy as possible instead. “It was _ punishment_, wasn't it? I was hardly supposed to like it.”

“Of course you were,” Anthony says, with an amused huff. “Proving a point, remember? And you _ did _ like it, so much that you wanted to keep a reminder. And, does that work? Do you think about me every time you sit down?”

Loki’s heartbeat is already quickening. “Yes.”

There’s the sound of Anthony setting something down, giving his whole attention to Loki. “I think about you, too. Acting so tough, but getting so _ needy _ after just a few blows - as if you’d been waiting for me to remind you all day.”

He pauses, and Loki can’t help but ask, “Remind me of what?” He just wants Anthony to go on, and Anthony complies.

“That we’re together,” he says simply. “I know that leaving the tower put you on edge. You’re very… possessive. You get jealous so quickly. You see all these other subs, and you hate and admire them at the same time. And then you’re afraid I could decide you’re too difficult, too much work. Afraid I could choose one of them over you. So you go and push me, act like you don’t want to be like _ that. _ Even though you want nothing more.” He makes a pause, lets out a breath. “You can do that anytime you want. I’ll always push back.”

Loki stares at nothing, speechless for a long moment. “How do you even _ know _ that?” He gets out eventually, voice almost breaking.

“I feel the same, Lokes,” Anthony says, gently. “You’re not alone with this sort of… I don’t know. Feelings.”

Loki’s shock gets replaced by blank confusion. “What?”

Anthony huffs a laugh. “I’m not the best dom out there, you know. I am -”

“Anthony -”

“Shh. I’m impulsive, and I forget things. I didn’t always want to be a dom, either, but it’s just - it’s just what I am, and I’m fine with it by now. Thing is, I like taking care of you, but I won’t always be good at it. _ I _ will push _ you _ at some point, and then I’ll need you to push back. Okay? We’ll just have to remind each other.”

Loki swallows. He doesn’t manage to say anything for quite a while. Finally, he asks, “Can I come to you?”

“What? I thought you -”

“Can I?”

“Of course, but -”

Loki teleports right into the workshop. Anthony is sitting at his desk, staring at him. Loki doesn’t doubt that he looks like a mess - his hair is still wet from the shower he took earlier, he’s already in his sleeping clothes, and he must look terribly tired. But Anthony reaches out for him, anyway, and Loki lets himself be pulled into his human’s lap. 

“I told you,” Anthony whispers, his hands clutching the back of Loki’s shirt. “As long as you want this, I’m not letting you go. I _ like _ you, Loki, a lot. And I don’t want anyone else.”

Loki pulls away and brings his hands up to Anthony’s face, careful. He always isn’t quite sure if he is allowed to touch Anthony in return, even though Anthony never stopped him from doing so, and he touches Loki so much. Loki looks at him, serious. He wants Anthony to believe him.

“I don’t want anyone else, either.”

Anthony smiles, so Loki can’t stop himself from kissing him. Anthony returns it readily, hungrily, as if he’s been wanting this all day. Maybe he _ has _ wanted this, missed Loki all day, and that thought makes Loki feel oddly giddy and warm.

“You know,” Anthony says, breathless, when they break apart after a while, “I kind of wanted this to end in phone sex.”

Loki raises a brow. “Did you now.”

“Yeah. Sorry it turned into a heart-to-heart instead.”

Loki thinks about that for a moment. “Well,” he says then. “Thor will probably appear at my door any given moment to accuse me of stealing his food.”

“You stole his food?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You definitely stole his food.”

“That hardly matters, because he will accuse me of it either way, and he would probably be quite surprised and worried if I weren’t in my room, so I should probably return.”

Anthony makes a face. “I don’t like that idea.” His hands wander down to Loki’s ass and squeeze, making Loki wince. It _ does _ still hurt, and judging by Anthony’s smirk, he hasn’t forgotten that.

“Phone sex,” Loki reminds him with a minor glare. “We could -”

Anthony interrupts him by kissing his jaw, then his neck. “Tempting,” he murmurs, “but I won’t let you go right now. Place an illusion in your room or something.”

Loki sighs, and does just that. He already has a spell in place for cases like this, so he just needs to tug at that little string of magic. 

“I can’t miss the meeting tomorrow,” he warns. “Without me, the -”

“Shh.” Anthony grabs Loki’s ass tighter and, with a bit of effort, lifts him. 

He laughs in reaction to Loki’s scandalized expression and sets him down on the desk, making Loki wince _ again. _ Anthony pushes various things away as soon as one of his hands is free. Loki frowns when he catches a glimpse of black leather before it topples to the ground, but before he can give more thought to that, Anthony’s mouth makes him forget about it.

-

He nearly misses the meeting. Naturally.

-

Two weeks later, things in New Asgard are running smoothly enough that Loki can stay at the tower for a few days. He and Anthony spent the first evening doing not much more than cuddling on the sofa, but this morning, there was a mischievous spark in Anthony’s eyes that had Loki frowning at him right after waking up.

“What are you planning?” He asked, but Anthony just grinned and shrugged.

Now, after breakfast and a thorough shower, Loki sits on Anthony’s (their) bed and stares warily at the rope in Anthony’s hands. He was there when Anthony bought it, so he _ knew _ that Anthony would use it at some point, but he still feels himself getting a little nervous now. Which is entirely ridiculous; it's not like the rope will be able to hold him.

“Stand up,” Anthony says. He is smiling, and his eyes are already dark.

Loki obeys, and when Anthony tells him to strip, Loki does that, too. Anthony tosses the rope onto the bed and steps closer, eyes wandering over Loki’s form, unhurried. Loki tries not to squirm under the attention, but he doesn’t manage to hold Anthony’s gaze. Anthony notices, of course, and just smirks in reaction.

“Hands behind your back,” he orders, almost off-handedly.

Loki locks his hands behind his back and holds his breath when Anthony walks around him once, his hand grazing Loki’s side. The touch is barely even there and still makes Loki shiver, which makes Anthony chuckle in return. Loki looks over his shoulder to glare at him, but Anthony shakes his head.

“Eyes forward.”

Loki obeys again, and is rewarded with Anthony’s hands in his hair, gathering up the locks and pulling them back. He's very gentle, and Loki is confused for a moment, unsure what Anthony is doing. He understands when Anthony is almost done - he is _ braiding _ Loki’s hair. Loki remembers wondering what the hair tie around Anthony’s wrist was for. Well, now he has his answer, and a second later Anthony makes it extra clear for him.

He wraps his fingers around the braid and pulls Loki’s head back, smiling when Loki gasps at the feeling. Anthony’s other hand comes to rest on Loki’s stomach. 

“Good?” He asks quietly, and Loki nods at once. Anthony hums. “Thought so.”

He kisses Loki's neck, possibly standing up on tiptoes as he does so. Loki has already shifted, and he is very sure that Anthony's mouth on Loki's neck will leave some marks. The feeling makes his knees go weak. Anthony presses his smile into Loki's skin.

“Do you want to kneel for me?” He murmurs, making Loki's eyes flutter shut. “Yes?”

Loki nods, and Anthony puts his hands on Loki's shoulders.

“Down.”

That is more than enough to make Loki drop to his knees. His breaths are already a little heavier, and he keeps his eyes closes as Anthony brushes the braid out of the way to put his hand on the back of Loki's neck, squeezing just a little. His foot nudges Loki's legs.

“To the bed.”

Loki doesn't move. His eyes are open again, and he isn't sure if he_ wants _ to move on his knees to the bed, with Anthony's hands on his neck, so clearly _ below him _ right now.

Anthony's other hand closes around Loki's throat and pushes his head back, making him look up and meet his eyes.

“I can make you crawl on all fours,” Anthony offers. 

Loki quickly shakes his head. Anthony smirks and gives him another nudge, and this time Loki obeys and scoots forward on his knees until they hit the bed.

“Such a good boy, aren't you?” Anthony says, sounding like he's still smirking. It nearly makes Loki whimper, but he presses his lips together just in time. Anthony's fingers tap his neck. “Now bend over.”

Loki does, his hardening cock brushing against the covers when he bends over the edge of the bed. He makes a soft noise, still uncertain if he likes this. He doesn't know what Anthony is planning, and that excites him as much as it terrifies him.

“You're gorgeous,” Anthony tells him. His awed tone makes Loki melt against the bed and close his eyes. “Yes, perfect. Stay just like this.”

Anthony's hand disappears. He takes the rope from the bed and crouches behind Loki, who cranes his neck to watch. Anthony stretches just to put his hand on Loki's back and push him back down, until one side of his face is pressed into the bedspread.

“Stay,” Anthony says again, firmer now.

“I'm not a dog,” Loki grumbles, his voice already rough, but stays like Anthony positioned him.

“I'm glad we agree on that,” Anthony says dryly. He moves Loki's hands until he is grabbing his own underarms, then starts binding them together. 

The rope feels soft on Loki's skin. From Anthony's secure movements Loki can tell that he knows what he is doing, and when he is done, Loki suspects that this would hold a human quite successfully.

“You could easily break free,” Anthony muses, tracing the rope with his fingers. “Right?”

“Of course.”

“You won't.”

Anthony's tone of voice makes Loki wonder what would happen if he did break free. He's tempted, even though it also sounds like he would not like the consequences that came with disobeying. He still nods, because he wants to see where Anthony is going with this.

Anthony strokes over Loki's lower back and stands up. He walks away into the direction where Loki can't watch him without turning, but returns not much later. The tell-tale sound of a drawer opening and closing has Loki guessing that Anthony brought the lube from his nightstand, but his steps also led farther away, so he probably got something else as well. Loki forces himself to hold still, to keep breathing. His fingers dig into his underarms.

“Hey,” Anthony says when he returns, tone soothing. He runs his hands over Loki's bound arms. “I'm right here, sweetheart. Take a breath. Yes, good. You okay?”

Loki closes his eyes and nods, makes himself relax. There is no reason to panic, he knows, not as long as Anthony is with him.

“Okay,” Anthony says. “I want to try something new, but I think you'll like it.”

Maybe he is waiting for Loki to protest, because he doesn't do anything the next few seconds. Loki doesn't protest. He just waits, eyes still closed, allows himself to give in. Soon enough, Anthony's hands move down to Loki's legs and prod until he spreads them. Loki is quite certain that Anthony is kneeling between his feet now, and it makes him feel so exposed that he blushes. His breath hitches when he feels Anthony's lips on his thigh, leaving open-mouthed kisses on sensitive skin. His mouth wanders up, and up, until he reaches Loki's ass. He makes a pleased sound and places kisses there, too, warm breath fanning over a place where it has absolutely no business being.

“Anthony,” Loki says, his voice only a whisper, eyes wide open now. He can _ feel _ Anthony's answering smile.

“Yes, honey?”

“Are you - are you going to -”

“Eat you out?” Anthony jumps in, hands coming up to knead Loki's butt cheeks. “Yeah, that's exactly what I'm going to do.”

“Oh,” Loki breathes. 

For the first time, he actually notices the rope that's keeping his arms on his back. He wants to move his hands, grab the edge of the bed to support himself, but he _ can't. _ Oh, he could, the rope would be easily torn, but Anthony doesn't want that. No, he wants Loki to just kneel there, his upper body on the bed, ass in the air, bare and open for whatever Anthony wants to do. Loki feels dizzy.

The first flick of Anthony's tongue against Loki's hole is - well, wet. Warm. Anthony's beard scratches a little. Loki flinches even though he tries to hold still.

Anthony laughs quietly; the feel of it makes Loki shiver. “You're being skittish, Lo.”

“I am definitely not - _ ah _ -”

Another chuckle. Anthony repeats the movement that made Loki's protest turn into a gasp, running his tongue over that bit of puckered skin again and again, until Loki entirely forgets what he was even protesting against. His face burns, and he is quite sure that the damned blush has reached the tips of his ears by now.

He shouldn't like this, he knows. It is rather… filthy, isn't it? If the Aesir knew what Anthony is doing at the moment, they wouldn't think of him as a honorable warrior anymore. Loki almost wishes he would care about that right now, but he really, really doesn't. Because, judging by the pleased and breathy sounds Anthony makes between licks, he _ likes _ this. And it does feel good, the steady drag of Anthony's tongue, the warmth and the wetness, even the prickle of his beard on Loki's skin. When Anthony starts pushing his tongue _ into _ Loki for the first time, Loki can't help but let out a wine and buck his hips, unsure whether he wants to get away from the sensation or not.

“Hold still,” Anthony orders, his hands grabbing Loki's hips to keep him in place. “Or do you want me to stop?”

Loki muffles a groan by pressing his face into the mattress and shakes his head.

“Can't see your face that well from down here, Bambi. You'll have to use your voice.”

_ Damn him. _ Loki squirms, but finally whispers, “You may continue.”

Anthony laughs at that, not very quietly this time. “You're far too composed,” he says, still chuckling, and uses his thumbs to spread Loki's cheeks again. “Let's change that, hm?”

And he does change it.

Loki isn't sure what it is about this - his bound arms, Anthony on his knees behind him, Anthony's tongue _ inside him _ -, but it makes him feel utterly helpless, in the very best of ways. It's embarrassing how quickly Anthony reduces him to a panting and whimpering mess, but Loki can't find a single reason to care anymore. He just stays exactly where he is, exactly how Anthony wants him, and lets Anthony do as he wishes. Loki's cock is rock hard by now, dragging against the mattress, and he wants nothing more than for Anthony to touch him there, too, but Anthony doesn't seem inclined to do that at the moment. Loki doesn't ask for it, he is sure that Anthony _ knows _ what he wants, and also Loki can't form proper words at the moment.

He almost doesn't realize it when Anthony's tongue makes room for his fingers; Loki just moans and pushes back against them, wanting more. But Anthony's fingers hit his prostate like his tongue didn't quite manage, and Loki _ does _ realize that. He reacts with a strangled cry that quickly turns into a soft whimper when Anthony keeps pulling two of his fingers out of and then pushing them into Loki again, nerve-wrangingly slowly. The stretch burns a little, but Loki still rolls his hips as well as he can, trying to get Anthony to move his fingers faster.

“You're a fucking wonder, Loki,” Anthony murmurs. “Always so eager for my fingers in your ass, aren’t you?”

Something in Loki's belly clenches, shame and arousal all at once, but he doesn't even try to deny it. He _ is _ eager for this, and Anthony knows that all too well.

“Maybe it's about time we put something a bit bigger in it, eh?”

Anthony strokes Loki's ass, digging his fingers into the flesh, and then both of his hands disappear for a moment. Loki can still feel Anthony kneeling behind him, though, so he doesn't panic. He still doesn't know what Anthony is planning, but it doesn't really matter. Loki is so far gone already that he can't even keep his hips from pushing forward against the bed anymore, can’t stop himself from wanting, well, whatever Anthony wants to give him. He would very much like to have Anthony's fingers back in his ass, but if Anthony wants him to take something else… then that would be fine too, honestly. 

Loki winces slightly when Anthony’s now wet fingers return, but Anthony puts his free hand on Loki’s hip to hold still. 

“Skittish,” he mutters again, with a soft snort this time, and continues slicking Loki’s entrance, moving his fingers in and out of him until he is satisfied. “Ass up, darling. Arch your back.”

Loki makes an impatient noise but does as he’s told. He forces himself to hold still when something else touches his hole, something hard and unyielding, only barely warmed up by Anthony’s hand. Anthony presses the rounded tip of it between Loki’s cheek and starts to push, just a little.

“You know what this is?” Anthony asks, then laughs softly when Loki doesn't muster a reply. “You don’t even care anymore, do you?”

“Anthony -” It’s more a whine than a word, and also muffled by the bedspread, but Anthony seems to understand. 

“You know,” he says, still just teasing Loki’s hole with the tip, “ever since we bought this, I’ve been wanting to put it in you. You’ll look so pretty with it in your ass. Could be a _ tiny _ bit big for your first, but you’ll take it for me, won’t you?”

Loki moans and nods, pushing his ass up, and Anthony chuckles again.

“Relax,” he says, and Loki presses his face into the mattress and relaxes. 

The metal plug slides in without much trouble. Anthony keeps his hold on it, tugs and turns and fucks Loki with it for a while before just _ leaving _ it there, tightly nestled between the cheeks of Loki’s ass. Anthony hums, satisfied, his fingers exploring Loki’s ass and inner thighs; Loki can actually _ feel _ Anthony’s eyes on him. Pleased. _ Possessive. _

“Very pretty,” Anthony praises, then his hand comes down on Loki’s ass, hard enough to hurt. 

Loki moans, presses into the touch when Anthony rubs the spot he hit, just to smack it again a second later. Suddenly he grabs Loki’s bound arms and pulls him up, pushing him forward with surprising roughness.

“On your back,” he directs.

A small part of Loki hates himself for wanting to obey so badly and _ quickly _ that he nearly stumbles. The rest of him is mostly distracted by his quite insistent desire to come, though, so he scrambles to lie down. It’s uncomfortable, what with his arms bound behind his back like they are, but he stops caring about that as soon as Anthony is above him, kissing him like he _ owns _ him - and, for the first time, Loki feels like that might actually be the case.

“You’re so good for me,” Anthony tells him when he is done kissing him, his thumb stroking over Loki’s swollen lip. “So good, Loki. I’m going to make you come now, honey, you just lie back and enjoy it, yeah?”

“Yes,” Loki gasps, nodding - he would say yes to pretty much everything right now. “Yes, please -”

Anthony kisses him again, tongue playing with Loki’s just briefly before he pulls back and moves away. He makes Loki spread his legs and kneels between them, hands on Loki’s inner thighs, wandering upward. Loki can’t find enough leverage to push himself up and watch, so he just stays as he is, panting, alternating between staring up at the ceiling and closing his eyes tight, trying to be patient. 

He doesn’t need to try that for long, thankfully, because Anthony’s mouth is on his cock in an instant. It’s warm and wet and oh so perfect - Loki can’t help but thrust up into the heat of it, letting out an almost-sob when Anthony’s hands grab his hips to push them back down. Loki’s muscles strain with the effort to keep from moving when Anthony swallows down as much of him as he can take. One of his hands starts playing with the plug again. Loki is more or less aware that more pleas tumble from his lips, nearly incomprehensible between gasps and whimpers. Anthony is done teasing, it seems. It doesn't even take a minute until he makes Loki come down his throat.

Loki hasn’t yet caught his breath when Anthony comes to sit on his chest. Even though it presses down on Loki’s arms a little uncomfortably, Anthony’s weight doesn’t bother him. Anthony kisses him again, slower this time but just as deeply. Loki can taste himself on his lover’s lips, and only now remembers where Anthony’s mouth had been even before he sucked Loki’s cock. The realization makes Loki whimper into the kiss. Anthony breaks it, and Loki tries to focus on him - there isn't anything else he could or would even want to focus on right now. His mind is still hazy and slow from coming just moments ago. His body feels so limb that he can barely feel the mattress beneath him.

“Open,” Anthony says, his voice wonderfully rough.

Loki doesn’t even think, he just opens his mouth wide and accepts Anthony’s fingers. He twirls his tongue around them a little lazily and sucks when Anthony tells him to. He holds Anthony’s gaze not because of some kind of deliberate decision, but because he can’t yank his eyes away. It doesn’t take long until Anthony withdraws his fingers and fumbles with his pants, freeing his cock. Before he can even say or ask anything, Loki is nodding already, lips still parted. Anthony mutters something warm and praising and guides his hard cock into Loki’s waiting mouth, one hand in Loki’s hair to keep him still. 

He breathes out a curse, shifting on top of Loki until he can comfortably move his hips. Loki swallows around the cock in his mouth and sucks in the way he knows Anthony likes. He breathes through his nose, maybe stops breathing entirely after a few moments of this - Anthony’s weight on his chest, pinning him to the bed, and the feel of his cock against Loki’s tongue, touching the back of his throat.

It doesn’t take long until Anthony comes, spilling into Loki’s throat with a moan and something that may or may not be Loki’s name on his lips. Loki swallows idly and licks his lips when Anthony pulls out. Loki is already more than half hard again, but also far too sated at the moment to do anything about it. It doesn’t seem like Anthony intends to get him off again, either, which is… surprisingly fine.

“Roll over, sweetheart,” Anthony orders, still a little breathless and very gentle. 

Loki makes a reluctant sound, but otherwise doesn’t protest when Anthony helps him turn onto his stomach. It takes a while until Anthony has freed Loki’s arms from the rope, so Loki just spends the next minutes lying there and basking in the attention. Anthony chuckles and indulges him, kneading the feeling back into Loki’s muscles until Loki is positively melting into the bed.

“Are you hurting anywhere?”

Loki manages to shake his head and roll onto his side.

“Do you need anything?”

Loki thinks about it for a moment. “A nap,” he decides then, reaching out for Anthony and pulling at his shirt to make him lie down.

Anthony does that willingly, even presses his lips to Loki’s hair when he tucks himself against Anthony’s side. Loki squirms a little, but needs a moment to figure out what bothers him.

“It’s still in there,” he mumbles into Anthony’s skin.

“What, the plug?”

“Mhh.”

Anthony laughs and starts stroking Loki’s back. “Yeah, and it’ll stay in there until I take it out. Alright with you?”

Loki gives a deep sigh in response and decides that he can deal with this particular order after their nap.

-

The plug is surprisingly heavy. It feels a little odd every time Loki moves. Not exactly uncomfortable, just… yes, odd. Loki tries to ignore it, but his thoughts keep returning to it, anyway. Some remains of arousal don't make _ not _ thinking about it any easier. 

Loki isn't sure if he likes it or not. There is something pleasant about it, he guesses - the fact that _ Anthony _ put it there and will take it out when it pleases him. Yes, there is something about _ that _ Loki likes, even though he tries not to, but it also makes him uneasy for frankly ridiculous reasons.

Dealing with that would be much easier if Anthony was here to distract him.

When they left the bed around noon, Anthony was very quick to disappear into his workshop. Loki was used to that by now; Anthony spent as much time with his machines as he could. That had become a bit more difficult since Anthony had Loki to take care of, too, so they often were down in the workshop when Loki was in the tower. Loki didn't mind that, actually he rather liked it. Watching Anthony work was fascinating, and even when that got boring, Loki could occupy himself well enough. He had his own corner in Anthony's workshop by now and his own projects, and they often spent several hours not saying a single word to each other. There are always some discussions about the music that played during these hours, but apart from that it works well. It's new for them both, and nice.

The thing is the following: When Loki wanted to join him today, Anthony _ refused. _

He wasn’t unkind about it. No, he made it very clear that Loki was still wanted in the workshop, in general, just - just not today. Because Anthony needs to work on something today, in private, without Loki being there and threatening to _ distract _ him. 

Yes, fine, that is not what Anthony said. But it’s basically what he meant, about that Loki is very certain. And it is nothing to be angry about, really. Because of course Anthony needs time to himself, of course he wants to have _ his _ workshop to himself every once in a while. That doesn’t even have anything to do with Loki, it’s just how people _ work. _Loki needs to be alone sometimes, too, so yes, he understands it perfectly.

It still bothers him. Immensely.

He can’t even exactly say why. He knows it’s ridiculous. He _ can _ occupy himself, after all, and Anthony doesn’t need to stay in the same room all day just to coddle Loki. Loki doesn’t need to be coddled at all, thank you very much, but. 

Well.

_ But _ he isn’t in New York just to spend a whole day alone, isn’t he? He isn’t here to be _ played with _ in the morning and then discarded, he doesn’t want to be made to wait until Anthony might have use of him again. (Not like this, at least.) Loki can be very patient when he needs to be, because his mischief and schemes often require patience, but he isn’t good at _ this. _ He doesn’t even want to be good at this, at… mindless obedience. 

So he stays in the penthouse because Anthony told him to, he doesn’t teleport into the workshop because Anthony told him not to, but he is very irritated about it all. He continues to be irritated until early evening, and isn’t yet ready to give in when JARVIS finally, _finally _tells him that he can meet Anthony in the workshop, if he’d like. 

_ If he’d like. _

“No,” Loki says, turning a page of his book. He is absurdly angry that Anthony didn’t even bother speaking to Loki himself. 

There is a pause of a few minutes, then Anthony’s voice does come from the ceiling of Loki’s bedroom.

“You’re pissed,” he says, having the absolute _ gall _ to sound amused.

Loki glares at the ceiling, but stays silent long enough that Anthony seems to get a little nervous.

“I’m sorry it took so long,” he says, gentler now. “I didn’t want to make you wait.”

“I haven’t been waiting.”

“That’s a lie.”

“Oh no,” Loki drawls, flipping another page. “What are you going to do to me now, sir? Should I be scared?”

He can hear Anthony sigh. “Look, if you really want me to punish you tonight, we can absolutely do that. No problem at all. I mean, I spent all day working on something for you, but maybe I should remind you where you stand first, huh?”

Loki perks up at that, his irritation making way for confusion. “Something for me?”

“Yup.”

Loki furrows his brow and thinks that over. Eventually he says, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been disrespectful.”

“That’s the most manipulative apology I’ve ever heard,” Anthony says dryly, “but I’ll let you get away with it just this once, because I’m nervous as hell. Now get your pretty ass down here, okay?”

Two seconds later, Loki stands in the workshop. Anthony sits at his usual place, but he turns on his chair as soon as he notices Loki, smiling 

“Are you done pouting?”

“That depends,” Loki replies, staying where he is for now. “Are you done working?”

“Uh, yes.”

“Then yes, I am.”

Anthony rolls his eyes and beckons him closer. Loki comes to stand between Anthony’s spread legs, looking down at him with a raised brow. Anthony puts his hands on Loki’s sides, thumbs rubbing at his hip bones through the leather.

“I think I want you naked,” Anthony says, and Loki lets out a relieved breath.

Yes, this he can deal with. He's glad that Anthony doesn't seem to want to talk about Loki's snappishness earlier. At the moment Loki is too curious to waste time being annoyed and bratty, and a punishment would be rather inconvenient. So he rolls back his shoulders and vanishes his clothes, smirking when Anthony's eyes darken immediately.

“Yup, that one never gets old,” he says absently and strokes up Loki's sides before taking his hands away. “Turn.”

Loki does, giving Anthony a nice view of his backside. Judging by the sound Anthony makes, he appreciates it. Loki looks over his shoulder, just in time to see Anthony lean in and place a kiss right above Loki's ass. His hands are on Loki's thighs, holding him in place.

“You're really still wearing it,” he murmurs against warming skin, sounding almost stunned.

“You told me to,” Loki says, sweetly.

Anthony laughs, fingers digging into Loki's sides. “Now you're just being extra charming because you want your gift.”

Not really bothered that he's been caught, Loki grins. “So it _ is _ a gift?”

“Yes,” Anthony says with a soft snort, then gives Loki a nudge. “Bend over the table.”

Loki does just that, keeping his legs spread and his back arched, because he knows Anthony likes him that way. He rests his chin on his arms and says, “If it's good, I might even forgive you for neglecting me all day.”

“I should really remind you some time that patience and gratitude are good things,” Tony mutters, hands coming up to spread Loki's butt cheeks. “Are you sore?”

“A little, maybe.”

“Want me to take it out?”

“That decision is yours to make, I think.”

“So well behaved,” Anthony says, tone teasing. “On your knees.”

Loki obeys without making much of a show of it. Anthony already pulled out a pillow from beneath his desk, so Loki knows that he could be kneeling for a while. (He and that pillow are close friends by now.)

“Okay,” Anthony says. “I, uh. I really _ am _ nervous about this, a bit, so sorry if I'm not - you know.”

Loki doesn't actually know what Anthony means, but he guesses it's something along the lines of not being able to pretend not to be nervous when he very much is. Loki doesn't like it when Anthony is nervous; it makes Loki wary. 

“There is no need to apologize,” he says anyway, because he doesn't want Anthony to feel bad.

Anthony smiles, and it’s easy enough to smile back. Loki watches as Anthony stands up and goes to another table to pick something up, quickly returning with a square box. He sits back down in front of Loki, the box in his lap. It doesn’t look especially exciting - simple and black, not very large. Loki frowns at it for a moment, then meets Anthony’s eyes again.

“Go ahead,” Anthony tells him, so Loki raises a brow and brings his hands up to touch the box, but doesn’t open it just yet.

It isn’t the first gift Anthony gives him. Loki has long figured out that Anthony _ likes _ giving gifts - there are the clothes he bought for Loki, and he keeps going out of his way to make sure that Loki has everything he wants when he is in the tower. Sushi, the best tea money can buy, a new book Anthony thought Loki might like - the list goes on an on. 

But this feels… different, somehow. It’s obviously important to Anthony, more so than those other things. Another toy, perhaps? Something he isn’t sure Loki will like? Loki inclines his head, thinking. If that was the case, Anthony wouldn’t present it to Loki like this. He would talk about it first and then simply _ use _ it, without making this big a deal about it.

“Okay, I’m not pushing you here, but what exactly are you doing?”

“I’m thinking,” Loki replies. “What is this?”

“Well, I’m pretty sure you’ll find that out when you open it,” Anthony says. Not impatient, just amused.

Loki gives him a dry look but finally takes the lid of the box, handing it to Anthony who places it on his desk. Loki takes a first look at his gift and -

Well, he is very certain that his brain stops working after that. For a few long seconds, at least.

He stares at the collar for what must be ages. It looks pretty harmless, sitting there pillowed on green velvet. Like many others Loki has seen, it’s made of black leather, but it isn’t bulky. It’s _ discreet _, even, and elegant - barely as broad as two of Loki’s fingers and without any further decoration. Just the leather, very nicely made, and a small golden ring at the front. The inside is padded with deep green fabric, red threads catching the eye where cloth meets leather.

“I saw you looking at those in the shop?” Anthony says, quiet and careful. His tone raising in pitch at the end makes it sound like a question. “And at others on the streets, too, when we were out. I figured you don’t _ not _ like the idea, so I just - well, I didn’t want you to have something store-bought, so I made this.”

Loki tries to listen, but he is still rather distract. He just nods slowly, eyes fixed on the collar. Anthony _ made _ this. _ For him. _Loki can’t even grasp the meaning of that.

“Look at me, Lo.”

A little reluctantly, Loki looks up. Anthony is frowning at him, almost as if he is concerned.

“I’m not going to make you wear it,” he says. Loki can tell by his tone that it’s important to Anthony that Loki understands this. “This is your choice, okay? If you think it’s too early, or too much, just say no. I won’t be mad.”

Loki swallows and nods. His eyes flicker back to the collar. “This means… much. For humans.”

“Yeah, it does.”

“It means…” Loki trails off. He can’t quite keep up with the speed of his thoughts.

“You’d be mine,” Anthony helps him out, saying it so _ simply _ , as if it doesn’t make Loki feel warm and soft all over. “It’s not - not _ irrevocable _, of course, but it’d be… Uh. A statement.”

Loki nods again; he understands perfectly what Anthony means. Loki _ knows _ what collars are, for humans - a symbol that’s not any less known or binding than wedding rings. In many ways, a collar is exactly _ the same _ as wedding rings, and the implication of that is almost more than Loki can handle at the moment.

“Do you want me to wear it?” He asks, the words barely audible.

“Yes,” Anthony answers, again so simply. “I wouldn’t have made it if I didn’t.”

Ah, right. Again, Anthony _ made _ this. He spent weeks working on it. In hindsight, Loki thinks that he should have been able to figure out what Anthony was working on, but he didn’t even _ think _ about this. It just wasn’t a real possibility, he would never have thought that Anthony might… want him like this. 

Loki stares at Anthony now. He can’t _ comprehend _ this. It doesn’t make any sense, except - except it sort of does, but only when -

“I love you, you know,” Anthony says. He’s smiling so widely now that there are crinkles around his eyes. It’s still a nervous smile, but there’s nothing uncertain about it. “And I don’t know about you, but I’m not - I’m not _ scared _. I think this will work out. So -”

“Yes,” Loki says.

Anthony blinks. “Yes? Yes, what?”

“I accept,” Loki clarifies, glancing at the collar and back. “I want it. I… Yes.”

Anthony stares at him for a long moment. “Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“Are you - are you sure?”

“Yes, I am sure.”

“If you -”

“_Anthony. _ I said yes.”

Anthony seems stunned. It takes a few more seconds, but then he’s smiling again. “Alright,” he breathes out. “Alright. Yes. Okay.”

Loki can’t help but find him adorable. He nods and shuffling on his knees a little, his gaze wandering back to the collar. He wants it so badly that he can’t even think anymore. He wonders how it will feel around his neck. Anthony doesn’t let him wait for long.

“Hold up your hair, please,” he orders, and Loki immediately gathers up his curls. 

He holds his breath when Anthony takes the collar out of the box. Anthony smiles at him and raises his brows, asking for Loki's assent for a final time. Loki nods, and Anthony fastens the collar around Loki's neck with gentle fingers. He tugs at it a little, turning it until the small golden ring is in the front, and carefully hooks his finger under the leather.

“Comfortable?” He asks, a little breathless. “Or too tight?”

Loki lets his hair down, unable to resist the urge to touch the collar himself. It _ is _ comfortable. There is enough pressure on his neck for him to know that the collar is there, but it doesn't restrict his breathing in any way. The fabric on the inside feels soft on his skin, and the metal of the ring quickly warms up to the temperature of his body.

“Comfortable,” Loki confirms, starting to smile. He can't stop touching the leather.

“Yes? Do you like it?”

Loki nods, and Anthony smiles broadly and bends down, his hand sliding into Loki’s hair as he touches their foreheads together.

“I'm glad,” he says, sounding relieved and very, very happy. “Thank you. This is -”

Loki tilts his chin up and kisses him. Anthony makes a soft sound of surprise, then the touch of his hand gets firmer and he kisses back, lips already partening. It doesn’t take long until Loki reaches up as well, grasping Anthony’s shirt to pull him closer. 

They don't kiss enough, Loki decides. He wants infinitely more of this and, thinking about the collar around his neck, he is very set on _ getting _ infinitely more of this.

Sadly, Anthony breaks the kiss eventually, probably because he needs the oxygen. He _ is _ human, after all. (Now that he thinks about it, Loki is also very set on changing that at some point.)

“Bedroom,” Anthony says, panting against Loki's lips. “Take us to the bedroom.”

Loki nods, but finds that he has some trouble concentrating. “One moment, I -”

Anthony chuckles and kisses him again. He strokes over the collar, mouth wandering to Loki's jaw.

“Not helpful,” Loki gasps, but Anthony just grins.

“We can take the elevator?”

Loki scowls at the teasing tone and shakes his head. He forces himself to focus, which would be a lot easier without Anthony's wandering hands and lips, and manages to teleport them both into the penthouse with just a little more effort than he needs to muster usually. He even remembers to place Anthony directly on the bed and thus saves his lover from stumbling awkwardly and landing on the floor.

“On further thought,” Anthony says, making a face, “Not sure if teleportation was a good idea, the room's kind of spinning. Is that -”

Loki uses his grip on Anthony's shirt to pull him down again and interrupts him with a kiss. Anthony seems to be alright with that. He even pulls Loki up onto the bed - well, after some pulling Loki gets the message and climbs onto the bed and also onto Anthony, who looks quite happy to have Loki in his lap. He smiles at him and plays with some strands of Loki's hair, eyes falling back to the collar.

“Looks good on you,” he says quietly.

“I should hope so, since I will be wearing it for quite some time.”

Anthony's smile widens and then they are kissing again, a little less rushed this time. Loki hesitantly puts his hands on Anthony's shoulders, then, when Anthony doesn't seem to mind, buries one of them in short brown hair. It feels soft beneath his fingers. Anthony's hands are on Loki's naked back, holding him close, and something about that bothers Loki. He has been naked for some time now, after all, and Anthony is still fully dressed. Loki doesn't mind that, usually - well, of course he does, but he accepts it. Anthony never undressed completely so far; in fact, he rarely even takes off his pants during their games. Not all the way, at least.

Loki pulls back, giving Anthony a chance to catch his breath. He kisses his human's cheek, nuzzles his jaw. This is odd_ . _ They haven't done this before, or at least not _ like _ this. The mood was always different. Not quite this… light. Loki isn't sure why, but it makes him uneasy.

“Anthony?” He mumbles into Anthony's beard, his arms around his lover's shoulders.

“Yes?”

Loki doesn't know how to put it into words, so he just presses closer and keeps avoiding Anthony's eyes, hoping he will understand. He does. 

Anthony kisses his cheek, hands moving on Loki's back in soothing circles. “Want me to take the lead?”

Loki nods and pulls back a little, reaching down to fumble with the hem of Anthony's shirt. “But take this off, first.”

Anthony raises a brow at him.

Loki narrows his eyes.

Anthony raises his other brow as well.

Loki heaves a sigh. “_ Please _, may I undress you?”

Breaking out in a grin, Anthony grabs Loki and rolls them both around. He ends up straddling Loki's middle, his hand on the mattress next to Loki's head to brace himself.

“That's more like it,” he murmurs, then kisses Loki long enough that he forgets all about clothes or the desired lack of them. 

When Anthony lifts his head again, Loki is rather aware of how hard he is. Well, he’s been half hard since Anthony put the collar on him, but _ now _, with Anthony on top of him, Loki’s growing arousal is difficult to ignore. So when Anthony moves to stand up, Loki doesn’t even try to keep a protesting sound inside. But Anthony just hushes him and gets off the bed.

“Go ahead, then,” he says, still grinning, and spreads his arms.

Loki, by now propped up on his elbows, just glares at him for a moment. Anthony doesn’t move, though, and Loki guesses this is own fault. He _ asked _ to undress Anthony himself, after all. So he sighs and gets on his knees, sliding forward to the edge of the bed with his eyes already wandering over Anthony’s still clothed body. 

He isn’t patient enough to hesitate. He immediately pulls the shirt up over Anthony’s head, tossing it away as soon as he can. Anthony chuckles and lets his arms sink again. Loki’s hands move slower when he starts fumbling with the belt; he is distracted by the sight of Anthony’s chest. It’s not like he hasn’t seen it before - he watched Anthony change clothes or come out of the bathroom often enough. But Anthony hasn’t let him take a closer look so far, for reasons Loki doesn’t really understand. He thought it was just something Anthony likes - he himself fully dressed, Loki fully naked - but now he wonders if the reason could be something entirely else.

“I know it’s not pretty,” Anthony says, his smile almost gone now. He seems.

Loki glances up at him, then looks back at the thick scar tissue right in the middle of Anthony’s chest. He remembers the glowing light that was there, years ago. “Don’t be ridiculous,” he says, finally opening Anthony’s belt. “It is not _ that _ bad. I think you are in acceptable shape for a human of your age.”

It’s silent for just a second, then Anthony starts laughing. “You know how to make a man feel special, huh? Did you just call me old?”

“No,” Loki replies, pushing Anthony’s pants and underwear down. “Why would I? You are ridiculously young.”

Anthony snorts and steps out of his pants. Thankfully, he bends down and takes off his socks himself, smiling again when he looks at Loki. The tension is gone, too. He taps the underside of Loki’s chin with one finger, making him lift it. The fingertip wanders south and eventually traces the golden ring at the front of Loki’s collar.

“It’s very resilient,” Anthony says, eyes darkening in reaction to the sight in front of him. “I made sure that it’ll last for a long time. You can keep it on in the shower and everything.” He looks up again only slowly, and his fingers stay on the collar. He tugs slightly at the ring. “You can use an illusion to hide it from others if you want, I don’t care about that, but as long as you’re mine, you’re not allowed to take it off. Clear?”

“Clear,” Loki repeats under his breath. Anthony’s fingers on his throat, on the collar make him oddly lightheaded.

Anthony nods at the bed. “Knees and elbows.” Loki hesitates, but his reluctance disappears when Anthony tugs at the ring again and says, “Do I have to repeat myself?”

Loki shakes his head and turns, getting into position in the middle of the bed. Anthony’s steps lead away from the bed, but after a few moments he returns and kneels behind Loki, the mattress sagging a little with his weight. Loki resists the urge to turn his head and just keeps looking down at his arm, listening closely to figure out what Anthony is doing.

“You’re a vision, love, “Anthony says and _ gods, _that isn’t fair.

Loki hides his face against his arms, arching his back even more, trying not to fall apart in reaction to _ that _ endearment. Anthony notices, of course, and chuckles as he runs a hand over Loki’s lower back.

“You like that, don’t you?” He murmurs warmly. “Better than ‘sweetheart’?”

Loki would manage a reply, perhaps, but he gets distracted by Anthony’s fingers on his ass, circling the plug. Norns, Loki completely forgot about that. Anthony takes hold of the edge and slowly turns the plug, reminding Loki with sudden force that it _ is _ still there, not big enough to reach his prostate but _ almost. _ Loki bites his lip to keep from outright gasping at the feeling, and fights down the urge to press his hips down and grind against the mattress.

“Did you enjoy wearing this all day? Yes? Maybe I should make you wear it the whole time. Make sure you’re always open and ready for me.”

Loki does moan at that, at the mere _ thought _ of that, and can’t keep from bucking into the touch when Anthony’s other hand reaches down to cup Loki’s cock.

“Yup, I think I really should do that,” Anthony says, his smug smile audible.. Anthony takes his hand away again, and Loki nearly whines when he realizes that Anthony just wanted to check how hard Loki is. “But,” Anthony continues just as he starts pulling the plug out of Loki, “you’ve been very good today, all in all, and I think we’ve waited long enough.”

Loki winces when the largest bit of the plug slides out of him, his ass clenching down on nothing now. After getting used to the plug, being empty feels odd. Anthony doesn’t leave him like that for long, though; he immediately pushes two fingers into Loki. They go in very easily, but it burns a little - after wearing the plug all day, Loki’s hole _ is _somewhat tender, and apart from some remains of lube also rather dry.

He still presses back against Anthony’s fingers, wanting them to move. Anthony indulges him and laziely drags them in and out.

“I want to fuck you,” he says, bluntly enough that Loki holds his breath. Anthony’s other hand comes to rest on Loki’s ass. “You’ll let me, yes?”

“Yes,” Loki breathes. He doesn’t need to think about it. 

“Good,” Anthony praises, withdrawing his fingers. “So good for me, love. Turn over, on your back.”

Loki is almost disappointed - he wouldn’t have minded if Anthony wanted to take him like this, pounding into him from behind. The image is good enough that Loki nearly asks for it, but then again, seeing Anthony’s face will be just as good. Maybe better. So he obeys and rolls over, supporting himself on his elbows to look at Anthony, who is kneeling next to Loki’s legs.

“Down,” Anthony says, so Loki lies down properly and reluctantly contents himself with looking at the ceiling. He is rewarded with a hand brushing his inner thigh.

Anthony fusses with something for a second, Loki can hear it, but then he already nudges Loki’s arms out of the way so that he can straddle his chest. Loki’s mouth waters at the sight of Anthony’s cock, so hard already; he does like sucking his human off. 

“I made something else for you,” Anthony says, causing Loki to meet his eyes. He holds something up, and every thought about sucking cock leaves his mind for a moment.

Cuffs, doubtlessly for his wrists. Anthony must have fetched them earlier. They look somewhat like Loki’s collar, also made of black leather, but broader. The clasps are as golden as the ring at Loki’s throat. Loki stares at them, unable to say anything, unable if he is _ supposed _ to say something.

“They go with these, “ Anthony continues, leaning over Loki’s head as he reaches out for the left side of the headboard. He pulls out a golden chain with delicate links. Loki stares at that, too, and tries to listen when Anthony says, “I prefer rope or straps, usually, but since that won’t be able to hold you I came up with this. I used the alloy my suit’s made of and added a bit of vibranium, and enhanced the bed frame a bit, too, so I think it’ll work.”

“Since when is that even here?” Loki asks, hoarsely.

Anthony smirks. “About three hours? I did it while you were busy pouting.”

Oh.

“So, what do you say? There are cuffs for your ankles, too, but I’d be content with tying your hands today.”

Loki wordlessly holds up his hands. Anthony _ beams _ , and fastens the cuffs around Loki’s wrists with a barely hidden expression of awe on his face. Loki is impossibly fond of him. He lets Anthony tie him to the bed and testens the bonds, surprised when he finds that they actually _ are _ able to hold him. Of course, if he mustered all his strength or just used magic, he could definitely break them, but he doesn’t _ want _ to. Later, he will probably be ashamed that he is already enjoying this so much, but right now he just _ lets himself _ enjoy it, mostly because the ability to think clearly has already left him. He likes this. Being bound to the bed, to _ Anthony’s _ bed, unable to get away until Anthony is done with him. This fulfills a fantasy Loki wasn’t even aware he had, or maybe it’s just the look in Anthony’s eyes that makes him like this so much - either way, Loki all but melts into the restrains, looking forward to letting Anthony do all the work.

“Good?” Anthony asks, stroking Loki’s cheek. 

Loki leans into the touch and nods, willingly opening his mouth when Anthony’s fingers brush his lips. Sadly, Anthony chuckles and shakes his head. 

“Maybe later,” he says, then climbs off Loki and grabs a pillow. “Lift your hips.”

Loki obeys and lets Anthony place the pillow under his ass. Loki shifts around a little until he is comfortable, moving his hands a little more than necessary just to hear the soft clinking of the chains. Anthony smiles at that and makes Loki spread his legs so he can kneel between them. He leans over Loki again, this time to kiss him. His tongue meets Loki’s with unexpected force, and it doesn’t take long until Loki is moaning into the kiss, back arching to get more of it. Eventually, Anthony breaks away with a smile and lets his mouth wander lower, down Loki’s throat. Loki lifts his chin to give Anthony better access, gasping when he feels teeth scraping over a patch of skin just shy above the collar. Anthony kisses and licks his way down to Loki’s chest and finally closes his lips around a hardening nipple, making Loki moan. One of Anthony’s hands strokes Loki’s side, lightly enough to make Loki try and get away from the touch - a pointless attempt, what with Anthony above him and the chains keeping him exactly where he is. So he just keeps squirming when Anthony’s lips ghost over his stomach, his breath hot on Loki’s skin, so close to his cock but not quite touching it even though _ gods, _ Loki wants that. 

“Anthony -”

“Shh,” Anthony cuts him off, then sinks his teeth into the junction of Loki’s leg and hip.

Loki didn’t shift back into his usual form all day, but the pain is still a surprise. He grunts and reflexively tries to close his legs, but Anthony slaps his thigh and then grabs his legs to keep them from moving.

“Hold still,” he says, straightening up and shuffling closer on his knees, close enough that his cock already presses against the swell of Loki’s ass. 

Breathing heavily, Loki lifts his head and Anthony catches his gaze at once, smirking. He is panting, too, Loki realizes, and the look in his eyes makes Loki’s mouth go dry. 

“You’re beautiful like this,” Anthony tells him, voice low, and wraps his fingers around Loki’s cock. Loki groans, maybe even more in reaction to the praise than to the touch, and his eyes flutter shut, but - “No, look at me.” 

Loki obeys, and Anthony starts moving his hand, agonizingly slowly. Loki forces himself to stay still, even though the only thing he wants right now is to thrust up into Anthony’s fist. He can’t stifle a whimper when Anthony presses his thumb to that spot right beneath the head of Loki’s cock.

“Yes, that’s right,” Anthony says, sounding so _ hungry. _“Let me hear everything, honey. You love this, don’t you?”

Loki nods, hips moving up on their own account. He half expects Anthony to tell him to hold still again, but this time Anthony just grins down at him.

“I kind of want to make you come like this,” he says, pensive. “I know you’d be hard and ready again in just a minute, but I think -”

He has the _ audacity _ to let go of Loki’s cock.

Loki lets out an indignant whine, but Anthony ignores him and procures a bottle of lube from somewhere behind him. Loki huffs and lets his head fall back into the pillow, willing to admit that, yes, that might be even better.

It doesn’t take long at all until three of Anthony’s slicked fingers are inside of Loki, and Loki already doesn’t know what to do with himself. He can barely find enough leverage to fuck himself on Anthony’s fingers and Anthony just doesn’t _ move them fast enough _, so he just lies there squirming and gasping while Anthony makes sure that Loki is slick and ready for Anthony’s cock. Loki’s own is already leaking at the tip, and if his hands were free, he might try touching himself. 

“So impatient,” Anthony mutters, now more amused than anything. “If I’d known how desperate you are for my cock in your ass, I wouldn’t have let you wait so long.”

Loki lifts his head again and glares at his lover, but Anthony seems unimpressed.

“Tell me, love,” he says, smiling as he deliberately presses the tips of his fingers against Loki’s prostate. Hel, he _ is _ good at this. “Do you want me to fuck you?”

There is no point in lying, Loki thinks, especially because that could lead to him having to wait even longer, so he makes himself nod and mumble, “Yes.”

“I can’t hear you.”

“_ Yes, _ ” Loki says, louder this time, and somehow the angry words he meant to add turn into a moan after a particularly lovely thrust of Anthony’s fingers. _ Damn it. _ “Yes, _ please _, please -”

“Oh, begging already?” Anthony sounds breathless. “Fuck, Loki, you’re _ perfect _.”

He pulls his fingers out, making Loki let out another frustrated sound that quickly dies when he feels Anthony’s cock press against his hole. Anthony nudges Loki's legs with his knees, making him spread them wider. Loki complies and watches a Anthony takes hold of Loki’s thighs, breathing raggedly himself, and pushes the tip of his cock into Loki with very little effort. He is fully sheathed within seconds, and Loki moans at the feeling of it, the stretch, the _ closeness. _Anthony huffs a breathy laugh and lifts Loki’s legs, leaning them against his own shoulders. He presses a kiss to Loki’s calf. 

“Fuck,” he says again, giving a tiny, experimental thrust, and Loki can’t do anything but agree full-heartedly.

Anthony pulls out almost all the way, only to slam back in again, hard enough to make Loki keen. Anthony moves slowly, far too slowly, the steady drag of his cock in and out of Loki's hole _ glorious _ but not nearly enough. Loki can't gather up enough of his senses to ask him to go faster, though, so he just lets Anthony do as he wishes, _ take _ whatever he wishes, and that thought alone is enough to make Loki lose his mind.

He cries out the first time Anthony hits his prostate, and Anthony seems to take the hint. He angles Loki's hips the way he wants them and thrusts harder and finally faster, too. Loki drinks up the sounds Anthony makes, the low groans and pleased gasps, and his hips are already moving in time with Anthony's. He is already so close, would come so fast if Anthony would just touch his cock again. He is only half aware of the pleas falling of his lips, mixed with whimpers and, again and again, Anthony's name. He starts tearing at his chains as well, but Anthony doesn't let him do that for long.

He grabs Loki's wrists and pins them to the mattress, and suddenly his mouth is on Loki's again, kissing him rather artlessly. The new angle makes his cock go even deeper, every thrust would press against that perfect spot _ just right _, but -

But Anthony stops moving.

Loki whines, squirming as he tries to get Anthony to start pounding again. The hold of Anthony's hands on Loki's wrist gets tighter.

"Hold still," Anthony says, his voice _ wrecked. _ "Hold _ still _, Loki."

Loki obeys, but not without making a soft sound of protest low in his throat. He is so close, so close, he just needs -

"Look at me."

Loki opens his eyes, barely able to focus. He feels Anthony's harsh breaths on his lips and stares into the eyes he has come to love so much; the deep brown is nothing more than a thin circle by now. Anthony rolls his hips, just once, not hard enough.

"Please," Loki gets out, the word something between a gasp and a sob. "I need - you, _ please _-"

"You have me," Anthony says, hips thrusting forward again. "Fuck, you've no idea -"

Loki clenches down on the cock in his ass, making Anthony moan. (Ah. That's power, then.) "_ Move. _"

"You're far too demanding," Anthony breathes, but he fucks into Loki nonetheless, harder now. Anthony catches his eye again. "Are you going to come for me?"

"_ Yes _-"

"For _ me _, Loki. You're mine."

"Yes! Yours, please, I -"

"Do it," Anthony orders, braces himself on the mattress and starts fucking Loki _ properly. _

With that and his cock trapped between their bodies, and the knowledge that Loki is his, his, _ his _ \- it doesn't take long at all. Loki comes within seconds. Anthony pounds him through it, chasing his own pleasure until Loki's world consists of nothing else than Anthony's low moans and now stuttering thrusts. He presses even closer, deeper into Loki when he comes, face pressed against Loki's neck.

Loki has forgotten how to breathe. He doesn't care about breathing, anyway, or about moving. He just turns his head, burying his nose in Anthony's slightly sweaty hair. They are so close that he can feel Anthony's heartbeat.

A small eternity passes until Anthony moves. He kisses Loki's neck - possibly the collar - before he carefully sits back on his heels and pulls out. Loki winces but keeps his eyes closed, too blissed out to know what real discomfort even _ is. _ Anthony moves up on the bed and sits down next to Loki. Loki lets Anthony untie him, watching out of half-lidded eyes as Anthony makes sure Loki's wrists are fine. Even before he can put the cuffs aside, Loki turns and curls up on his side, his head in Anthony's lap. Anthony chuckles softly and starts stroking Loki's hair.

"Exciting day, hm?" He says, quietly. "Feeling okay?"

Loki nods, his eyes closed again. He is tired, first and foremost. And hungry. And sticky. He doesn't like being sticky. "Anthony."

Anthony pats Loki's head. "I'll get something to clean you up."

"Mhh."

"You'd have to let me get up for that, though."

Loki sighs and rolls onto his back, stretching tiredly. He doesn't think he has ever felt this good before. He blinks open one eye to squint up at Anthony.

"Can you bring food?"

"Food?" Anthony echoes, already getting out of bed. "Sure. What do you want?"

"Food."

Anthony snorts and nods. "Right, okay. I'll be back in a minute, don't go anywhere."

That order is very unnecessary - Loki plans to stay exactly where he is, for a rather long time.

-

"For the record," he says later, pressing his whole body against Anthony's side, "I love you, too."

Anthony lets out a breath and wraps his arm around Loki, kissing the top of his head. "That's good to hear."

"Mh-hm," Loki agrees. Saying it feels good, too. He throws his leg over Anthony's, smirking when Anthony lets out a high-pitched sound.

"Lokes, your feet are _ cold _, what the fuck."

"Stop whining."

"Could you -"

"No."

Anthony sighs and runs his hand up Loki's back. It comes to rest on his nape, stroking gently over the collar. "I'm far too lenient."

"I know," Loki says again, voice getting quieter. "It's very convenient."

"Mh, I bet."

Loki smiles into his lover's skin, and falls asleep quickly.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, this is the end for now! But since my brain keeps throwing more ideas for this at me, there'll probably be a second chapter at some point. (I've no idea when though.) So keep an eye out for that if you're interested!❤


End file.
